SINGAPORE - A stray dog suffered serious injuries from a steel wire trap set out in the Lim Chu Kang area, casting the spotlight on the methods used by professional trappers.
In a Facebook post on Thursday (Feb 18), Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD) said the badly-wounded dog had been first reported near its Adoption and Rescue Centre at Lim Chu Kang Lane on Feb 7.
Volunteers and independent rescuers combed the area for five days before finding it behind a building on Feb 12, ASD said.
Smelling of rotting flesh, the petrified dog had a steel wire wrapped around its torso, which had cut into its flesh.
"Any longer, the steel wire could have easily severed her spine, paralysing her and most likely, lead to a horribly slow and painful death," ASD added.
The post, accompanied by photos of the dog's serious injuries, has since been shared over 1,800 times. Facebook users commenting on the post called the steel wire trap cruel and inhumane.
ASD president Ricky Yeo told The Straits Times that such traps have reportedly been used in other areas of Singapore by contractors hired to cull stray dogs.
While this is the first time ASD has come across the trap in the Lim Chu Kang area, it has seen similar but smaller versions, designed to wrap around a dog's leg.
"The steel wires used are thin and stiff, so the more a dog struggles, the deeper it cuts. Think of it as a knife," Mr Yeo said.
"We've had cases where the dogs chewed through their own feet to get free. It just goes to show that such trappers don't really care what happens to the dogs; they just want to get paid."
Adding that such methods used were tantamount to animal cruelty, Mr Yeo said ASD had written to the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) about the incident. It is also checking if AVA had hired any external contractors to cull dogs in the Lim Chu Kang area.
As for the injured dog, its wounds were stitched up and it was also treated for trauma, severe dehydration and blood loss.
"She's in a stable condition but we'll have to monitor her carefully as there's the risk of infection. It will take several months before she recovers fully," Mr Yeo said.
